Guilt Ridden Hearts
by shadowsilv3r
Summary: Yang stole something from Ruby, something that she could never forgive her for. Years pass by without the sisters ever speaking to each other. Then Ruby receives word of Yang's death, and she must struggle to both forgive her sister and not take back what she stole: the chance to be with Jaune. Ruby/Jaune and past Yang/Jaune.
1. Chapter 1

**Just to get out of my system, not sure if I'll follow up on this.**

**Chapter 1:**

**On A Bad Note**

Ruby Rose placed a bouquet of yellow roses on her sister's grave stone. It had been three years since that fateful day; nearly twice as long since Ruby last spoke to Yang, and those last few words haven't been kind either.

'_I hope the Grimm take you for stabbing me in the back!'_ Ruby had shouted in her face before slamming the door and effectively severed their sisterly bond. Tears soon stained the scythe-wielder's face as she thought about that day, she had been mad at her sister, but now she felt only guilt.

"I'm so sorry sis," Ruby began, "I tried to respect the memory of you… but I can't deny my heart any longer, and because of that, I betrayed you like you had me once,"

_**In loving memory of Yang Arc**_

_**A loving wife, mother and cherished sister.**_

V

_Three years earlier…_

Jaune solemnly watch his two year old daughter Yin play with her toys when the doorbell rang. Jaune sighed as he assumed it must have been more family members offering their condolences. It wasn't that he didn't feel gratitude for their concerns, but the funeral was a month ago, and right now he just wanted to be left alone with his daughter for a while.

The doorbell rang again, snapping Jaune out of his reverie as he shouted for the visitor to hear, "I'm coming," Jaune walked down the main wall and reached the door. He released a sigh as he turned the handle to see someone he wasn't expecting.

"R-Ruby?" Jaune stated in disbelief that his sister-in-law was standing on his porch.

"Hey Jaune," Ruby all but whimpered as she looked like a fawn waiting to bolt away out of fear, "May I enter,"

"Ah… sure," The blonde gestured for the scythe wielder to enter, which she nervously did. As Jaune closed the door behind her got straight to the point.

"I heard about what happened to Yang," Ruby's voice hitched in her throat at the utterance of her sister's name.

"Yea… I kind of missed you at the funeral," Jaune mumbled awkwardly.

"Sorry, I didn't receive word until afterword's," Ruby stated almost absently as she observed the family photos of Yang and Jaune, all happy and holding each other, making the young woman feel sick to her stomach.

"Was it painful for her, her passing?" Ruby asked as she stared at a picture of Yang in a hospital bed with Jaune leaning on the edge, a baby wrapped in blankets held in her arms. Ruby clenched her fist at that, _'they have a… baby…'_

"Ruby, I know you and Yang ended on bad terms, Yang never told me what the reason was and I honestly don't want to know, but you've been gone for three years and-"

"May I see my nephew?" Ruby interrupted as she turned to face Jaune, her face a strange mask that was difficult to read.

"Niece actually, and sure, she's in the other room," Jaune explained as he headed through a nearby door, momentarily leaving Ruby alone with her thoughts, _'A girl… Yang always wanted a daughter…'_

At that moment Jaune returned holding in his arms a small, two year old with blonde hair who was more preoccupied with her binky as Ruby stared at her in disbelief, _'She looks exactly like Yang'_

"Ruby, this is Yin," At the mention of her name, Yin opened her eyes and Ruby felt something crack inside her, the right eye was lilac just like Yang's, but the left was deep ocean blue, like Jaune's. It was as though the eyes confirmed that this was indeed Jaune and Yang's daughter; and that made Ruby hate the child more than anything in the world.

"She's beautiful," Ruby commented as she gently placed a loving hand on the baby's forehead, but as though sensing the seething hatred that Ruby felt for the child, Yin started screaming. Ruby immediately retracted her hand.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, she's normally quite sweet with people," Jaune apologized as he gently rocked the child and tried to calm her; soon she calmed down in her father's arms and drifted off to sleep. Juane then carried Yin off to bed and swiftly returned, "Look, Ruby, it's good to see you, but you can't just reappear like this,"

"Sorry, I've been so busy being a Huntress that I haven't been in contact with everyone," Ruby admitted, "But after hearing what happened to Yang, I feel I need to reconnect with everyone, so maybe we can grab a bit tomorrow?"

"Sure, how does twelve O'clock sound?" Jaune offered.

"I'd like that," Ruby accepted as she offered a small smile, "Jaune, I'm sorry about Yang,"

"Yea… me too," Jaune returned as Ruby offered goodbye and left through the front door.

It wasn't until Ruby got in the driver seat of her car did she burst into tears, _'How could she have a daughter with him and not at least tell me?!'_

'_You didn't exactly make it easy to be contacted,'_ her mind retorted. Ruby looked back at Jaune's house as she promised herself she wouldn't let the feeling of her heart control her. They already ruined one part of her life; she won't let it ruin this part as well.


	2. Chapter 2

**Just too clear things up. This story will cover nine-to-ten years of the characters' lives, from the first year at Beacon to the year of the opening scene of chapter 1. The 'present' will be considered when Ruby and Jaune reunite after Yang's funeral onwards (or Post-Beacon Year 3).**

**Chapter 2:**

**Origins**

_Beacon year one…_

Ruby and Yang currently sat on their respective beds in their dorm while working on their homework, or at least Ruby was. For the yellow themed huntress-in-training was currently reading a small book.

"Yo, Ruby?" Yang said out of the blue to get her half-sister's attention.

"What is it sis?" Ruby questioned without taking her eyes from the pile of homework she was working on, if she didn't get it turned in on time Weiss would tear her apart.

"What do you think of Jaune?" Ruby was taken aback by the question; she immediately stammered out, "He's a nice guy I guess, a good friend,"

"Really? no mentioning of his 'blue eyes as deep as the oceans' or 'the warmth you feel whenever you two laugh together?" Ruby stopped her work and suddenly noticed what Yang was reading.

"Give me back my diary!" Ruby shrieked as she dived from her bed, flew the distance between her bed and Yang's, and came face first into Yang's outstretched palm. Causing her to fall to the ground as her sister read out loud an excerpt from her precious diary.

"_Dear Diary,_

_Jaune and I got paired together in Weapon Construction class today, he wasn't very good at the project at hand and constantly required my help, but I didn't mind. He did get distracted by Weiss though; she was sitting at the station next to us with Nora, him always gazing at her with those blue eyes as deep as the oceans, why couldn't he look at me like that?"_

"Yang, seriously, give it back," Ruby pleaded as she tied to grab the diary. Yang only chuckled.

"Ahhh… my baby sister has her first crush!" Yang teased.

"Please sis, don't tell anyone, especially Jaune,"

"Don't worry Rubes, I won't tell anyone," Yang promised.

"Pinky swear?" Ruby begged as she held her pinky out, it was the one thing that Yang could never say no to, as long as it was her baby sister involved.

"Pinky swear," Yang mimicked as she linked her own pinky with Ruby's.

V

_Present day…_

Ruby solemnly sat at one of the tables outside the local coffee shop, cup in hand as she nervously waited for Jaune to show. She wasn't sure of what to say to him; if he'd even show.

'_Twelve O'clock, guess he's not showing…'_

The huntress sighed as she stood to leave. As she was doing so she heard a greeting coming from behind her. She turned around and saw Jaune pushing Yin in a baby stroller.

"Hey Jaune," Ruby greeted as she sat back down; Jaune soon joined her from across the table and took Yin into his lap. Ruby frowned slightly at Yin, but hid the downturned lips with a sip of her cappuccino.

"So… what have you been up to Ruby?" Jaune asked as he fed Yin her bottle.

"Well after I graduated Beacon I sort of travelled, took odd huntress related jobs in remote villages and towns, after a year and a half of that I found myself in Vacuo and got hired by this dust mining company as a special security guard for their more remote digging sites, defending them from Grimm and whatnot," Ruby explained as she took in Jaune's details, he clearly hadn't shaved, his muscles had grown to give him a larger appearance, and his hair was cut short if still a little scraggly. But his eyes that she always loved where empty, devoid of the depth she admired, it was clear he hadn't taken Yang's passing very well.

"So, enough about me, what have you been up to?" Ruby asked, hoping let dreading to learn more about Jaune and Yang's few years together.

"Um, Yang and I got engaged right after graduation, I don't know if you knew that seeing as you left the day she went to tell you," Ruby remembered that day, it was the last time she ever saw or spoke to her sister, "I became a professor of battle strategy and combat theory at Beacon, Yang was a huntress, but only worked the jobs around Vale so we could stay close, then when we were expecting little Yin here she took leave off work for the year to have and raise Yin, we bought a house, raised Yin, we were happy, until I got a call from the hospital… Yang had been in a fight with some Grimm in the Emerald Forest and… and…"

Jaune broke down and sobbed, Ruby walked round the table and cautiously took Yin from his weakening grasp and placed her in her stroller before hugging Jaune, who clung to her desperately. Ruby simply soothed his back as he let his misery out.

"I'm certain she misses you too, Jaune," Ruby offered comfort, "and I'm sorry I wasn't here to grieve with you,"

Jaune had managed to regain some control of his sobbing to say, "I know you are Ruby,"

"Look Jaune, if you need anything, please, don't hesitate to seek my help,"

"Sure thing, thanks Ruby," Jaune agreed as he regained control of himself and let go of his sister-in-law.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

**Awkward Moments:**

_Beacon year one…_

It was a normal lunch period for Teams RWBY and JNPR; Blake was reading a book instead of eating, Nora was engrossed in recalling her bizarre dreams with Ren correcting her on the details she had originally, and Weiss and Pyrrha were chatting about schoolwork.

'Cough' 'cough', Ruby heard Yang's fake cough as the older sister elbowed her in the stomach from under the table for the umpteenth time. Ever since Yang read Ruby's diary she seemed to have made it her mission to try and get the fifteen year old to ask Jaune out.

"Yang, are you feeling alright?" Blake finally asked, "I've noticed you've been coughing a lot recently,"

"Yea, I'm fine," Yang stated before she repeated her annoying antic of coughing and nudging Ruby from under the table again.

"You don't sound fine, you sound like you might be coming down with something," Pyrrha pointed out.

"You'd better not be sick!" Weiss all but shrieked.

"Why Weiss, I didn't know you cared," Yang exclaimed enthusiastically as she lightly kicked Ruby in the shin.

Weiss huffed, "I don't, but you're sitting right next to me, and I have no intention of missing class because you got me sick!"

"That's Weiss' priorities for you," Ruby stated with a roll of her eyes.

"Guys, come on, I'm completely fine," Yang assured everyone as she stealthily pinched Ruby from under the table, causing the girl to yep.

"You alright there Ruby?" Jaune asked, noticing Ruby's yep.

"Yea, I bet she's feeling fine, why don't you tell us all why Rubes?" Yang said with a knowing smile.

"Um… uh…" Ruby began as everyone looked at her, "I… uh… GOT A NEW GUNS MAGAZINE! Yes, that's it, it's very interesting,"

Ruby put on one of her big goofy smiles to try and convince everyone, luckily, they all just shrugged and went back to their respective tasks. The red themed huntress-in-training released a silent sigh of relief. She then looked to her older sister, her lilac eyes saying one thing.

This Means War.

V

_Present day…_

"So what's life like teaching at Beacon?" Ruby asked Jaune as they now strolled down Main Street after finishing their coffee. The blonde pushed Yin's stroller as the young one played with her toy, a small stuffed animal in the shape of a Beowulf.

"Fine I guess, most of the students behave well enough, but some still get bored and nod off to sleep during my lectures," Jaune detailed as they stopped at a road crossing and waited for it to be safe to continue.

"Sounds like a certain someone I know when he was in Oobleck's class," Ruby teased while nudging Jaune in the ribs. But she didn't get as much as a response from him for a few seconds before he just nodded his head solemnly.

Ruby downcast her eyes as they walked across the street. She genuinely didn't know what to do, the man barely functioned enough to take care of Yin. The fact that they haven't seen each other in years meant that they had drifted apart in interests, and she couldn't ask many questions about his past without drawing him into a brooding reverie about Yang and burst into tears.

"Ruby, why are you here?" the red themed huntress almost didn't hear Jaune as he asked that question.

"What do you mean? I'm here to reconnect with my friends," Ruby had answered truthfully, yet why did it sound like a lie to her ears.

"So it isn't about the fact you had a crush on me back in Beacon?" Jaune had said it so monotonously, yet he might have well have yelled in accusation with how it impacted Ruby. Memories welled up about times in beacon; the shock she felt when Jaune asked Yang to the dance during year two, the nightmares she suffered on the nights she knew they were out on the town during third year, and of course the stab of betrayal the night after graduation.

"Did… Yang…" Ruby asked. Jaune shook his head.

"Weiss and Blake told me during the funeral, explaining why you likely wouldn't show up, whether I wanted to hear it or not," Jaune admitted, "So is it true?"

"It was…" Ruby admitted, "but I got over it a while ago," Again she felt like she was lying.

Jaune released a sigh before he said, "Good, because I want you to know, I truly loved Yang, still do, and I don't feel the same for you,"

Ruby felt something hurt inside her chest, like an old wound being stabbed, she ignored it and hid the pain she felt as she nodded her head in agreement, "So its agreed then, I don't harbor romantic feelings for you, and you don't have any for me,"

It would be the biggest lie she would ever tell herself.


	4. Chapter 4

**Please don't expect longer chapters, these are mostly 'spur of the moment' chapters as I think of something depressing to write, and occasionally humorous works during the beacon years.**

**Chapter 4:**

**Harsh Reflections**

_Beacon year one…_

"Come on Rubes, it's easy," Yang insisted as she tried to drag her little sister off of her elevated bed.

"Easy for you to say, any guy would jump at the chance to go out with you!" Ruby countered as she hung onto the rickety bedframe.

"Look, I know it isn't exactly normal for a girl to ask a guy to the dance, but how else are you going to go out with Jaune?" The blonde questioned as she tugged harder.

"Wait for him to ask me out?" Ruby suggested, Yang simply laughed.

"Rubes, he's interested in Weiss, you know he won't stop asking her out to the dance until the Ice Queen finally says yes or he realizes that there are better fish in the sea, namely you," Yang countered.

"HEY!" Weiss, who was studying in the corner of the dorm room, complained about Yang's blatant insult.

"You know it is true Weiss, now help me get Ruby off of her bed so we can force her to ask Jaune out," Yang pointed out.

"And why should I?" the heiress countered.

"Because, if we can get Ruby and Jaune to go out, it will stop Vomit Boy from hitting on you," Yang's argument proved valid in the white themed huntress' ears, for the next thing that Ruby knew was that she had two pairs of hands trying to pull her off her bed.

"WEISS, YOU TRAITOR!"

"It's for the greater good Ruby, namely, MY greater good!" With that the Blonde and the Heiress gave one final hard tug and the fifteen year old came crashing down onto the floor with a thud.

With Ruby writhing and protesting over yang's shoulder, the trio exited the dorm to see Pyrrha and Jaune hugging in the hallway and froze.

"Guys, you won't believe who I'm going to the dance with!" Jaune and Pyrrha both exclaimed simultaneously. The RWY of Team RWBY had varying responses; Weiss' was relief as she strutted back into her dorm in a brisk, yet cheerful, pace. Yang's Jaw hit the floor and Ruby's eyes started watering.

"Good for you two!" Yang proclaimed with a thumbs up before walking back into the dorm with Ruby still over her shoulder.

"I take it things didn't go over so well?" Blake, who had been in the room the whole time reading, asked from her bed.

Yang simply placed her hand on her hip as she asked sarcastically, "What was your first clue: Ruby's tears, or Weiss' smiling like a little school girl?"

V

_Present day…_

By the time Ruby had made it back to the hotel she was so drained emotionally that it took a physical toll on her body. She simply closed and locked the door, placed the keys on the nearby table, and collapsed on her bed.

'_Stupid, stupid, stupid!' _she scolded herself in her head as she replayed the events of today in her head, '_Now Jaune knows about your feelings and you up and deny them still being there,'_

'_What are you even doing here?' _The huntress asked herself mentally. She wasn't sure, she simply got word that Yang had died and came running back to Vale, but was it to say her goodbyes or to try and reconnect with Jaune in some minute hope that they could be together. Jaune had shut that down rather bluntly. The man truly had no romantic feelings for her. There had been friendship once, but was even that still there? They had been separated for so long that she wasn't even sure if they were the same people as before.

After what felt like hours, Ruby pulled herself off of her bed and got her scroll out and dialed in a number, waited for the phone to ring until it was answered by a feminine voice, "This is Blake Belladonna speaking?"

"Blake, It is me, Ruby,"

**Author's note:**

**Sorry again for the short chapter. Anyway, Pyrrha does play a role in this story to some degree, how I'm not entirely sure yet, as this is mostly unplanned.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Shortest chapter yet, but the revelations in it make up for it.**

**Chapter 5:**

**Not The First Time**

_Beacon year one…_

The punchbowl, the universal symbol of the social stigma of showing up to a dance without a date. It has accompanied many a teenager who was either rejected, unable to dance, or too slow in asking out their intended dance partner. The punchbowl's newest acquaintance was none other than the young Ruby Rose.

"Come on Sis, I'll dance with you," Yang offered as she finished greeting all the students to the dance. But the red themed girl couldn't stop staring at the couple near the middle of the dance floor.

"Thanks sis, But I'll pass," Ruby muttered as a slow dance started. She watched Jaune and Pyrrha pull each other close, with the redhead amazon resting her head on the blonde knight's shoulder as they slowly turned around in a circle.

"You know Ruby, you can always ask to cut in," Yang suggested just before Jaune and Pyrrha both leaned back, for a minute second Ruby hoped that they would separate. But then what happened next burned any chance of that.

Jaune leaned forward and locked lips with Pyrrha.

"Oh, Ruby I'm-" Ruby didn't hear the rest of Yang's sympathies as she hurried out of the Ballroom.

V

_Present day…_

Ruby sipped her tea after she had described yesterday's conversation with Jaune to Blake. Blake belladonna had opened a little teashop a year after graduation, given her... incident. The teashop was a nice little place where huntsmen and huntresses got served free.

"Ruby…" Blake began after taking a sip of her own tea, "He doesn't hate you,"

"Of course he does, he even said he doesn't feel anything for me," Ruby stated miserably.

"It's not that he doesn't feel anything for you, it's that he's afraid that he actually does," Blake explained.

"What do you mean?"

"Yang wasn't his first love to die in his arms," Blake said sadly, and Ruby felt immensely guilty, having forgotten about Pyrrha and what happened to her the day after the dance.

"You understand now Ruby, he thinks he's cursed or something, at the funeral he told me and Weiss that he'd never dare love someone again for their own safety," Blake explained as she pushed on the table to back out, then rolled around the table in her wheelchair so she was besides Ruby ran placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "The fact that he refuses your love only proves how much he actually cares about you,"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

**Missed Opportunities**

_Beacon Year one…_

It has all gone horribly wrong.

Team RWBY all stood outside the dorm of Team JNPR, all planning to seek entrance but none brave enough to knock. Eventually it was Yang that worked up the courage to nervously bang her fist thrice against the door.

It was Nora who answered, her face distraught and her outfit covered in blood. The orange haired girl quickly embraced Yang despite the ruined outfit, and Yang hugged her back without complaint. Ren soon appeared and hugged Blake, they both took turns to hug Team RWBY.

"Where's Jaune?" Ruby asked quietly.

"He went to the usual place," Ren stated as Ruby nodded, knowing exactly what Ren was talking about, the roof that Jaune and Pyrrha used to train on. The red themed girl made her way to the roof when she heard footsteps following her.

"Yang please, I want to see Jaune alone," Ruby pleaded.

"Jaune won't be in the mood to hear your confession, Ruby," Yang stated, Ruby flinched, knowing it to be true, "We can go see him, just promise me you won't tell him how you feel when we do,"

Ruby nodded as the two half-sisters made their way to the roof. Before they even opened the door, they heard grunting and the sound of something wet hitting bricks. The two opened the door to see Jaune punching his fists bloody against the nearby wall, his sword twisted and ruined laying on the ground discarded.

Ruby covered her mouth to stifle a scream of horror as Yang ran over to Jaune and struggled to get the knight to stop punching the wall. Jaune eventually stopped and proceeded to hug Yang tightly as he wept, Ruby saw his fingers with their skin peeled and bloody with the joints twisted from the mad punching of the wall. Ruby looked at the twisted sword, figuring out that he had been swinging it at the wall until it was useless, then proceeded to attack the wall with his fists instead.

"Jaune… your hands…" Ruby pointed out sheepishly, Jaune then looked at them, but his eyes saw nothing.

"I couldn't save her… I couldn't save her… I couldn't save her…" Again and again Jaune repeated the words in a crazed mantra, each verse less coherent then the last until he was mumbling gibberish and proceeded to just weep.

"Ruby, go get the nurse and Ozpin, now!" Yang shouted to Ruby, who quickly ran from the roof to fulfill the request. Little did she know that had she acted instead of Yang, that things might have turned out differently for her.

V

_Present day…_

Two years had passed since Yang's death, in that time, Ruby had managed to reconnect with everyone; Weiss was mostly busy running the Schnee Dust Company, but she and Ruby chatted on the phone regularly. Ren and Nora where married and where expecting their first child, Blake's Teashop was the regular place for them and Ruby and Jaune to get together on weekends and simply be friends hanging out.

As the group of old friends laughed together at one of Nora's jokes, Ruby smiled as she looked at what remained of the two teams. Of the eight friends, only six remained, and even though Weiss wasn't around much, she regularly sent her regards and apologies.

As time went by, Jaune had healed, he was never truly the same, but he started to live life more. Jaune and Ruby had a silent agreement not to ever bring up that conversation they had two years ago about her true feelings for him. And for now Ruby was content with that, they had managed to reform their friendship, though silver eyes giving a longing look was not unheard off, things were good.

"-and then the Deathstalker-

"Nevermore,"

"-was blown into a million pieces-"

"Sliced in half,"

"-showering us in glorious gumdrops!" Nora finished her crazed rant with a satisfied smile as Ren rubbed his head in mild frustration at his wife's antics.

"I swear she's been having this dream ever since she got pregnant," Ren mumbled, yet still had a smile on his face as Nora resumed eating her peanut butter smeared buffalo wings, weird cravings and all that.

"Is that even a thing? Having weird dreams when you're pregnant?" Ruby questioned.

"I don't recall Yang ever having weird dreams when she was pregnant with Yin," Jaune spoke up as he calmly drank his beer, one of which everyone had except Ruby and Nora.

"It's just Nora being Nora," Blake stated, and everyone nodded in agreement. Blake then looked up at the nearby clock, realizing the time, she bid that everyone go home and get some rest. Nora and Ren left first waving goodbye from their car.

Jaune fumbled for his keys until Ruby put a hand on his shoulder, "You're drunk Jaune, I'll drive you home,"

"Thhhaaanks Ruuubyyy," Jaune said in a slightly slurred speech as he finished his drink before the huntress helped the professor into his car.

The drive home to Jaune's house was uneventful; but it was filled with an awkward silence that ate at Ruby. Soon enough they made it to his house and walked up to the front door, rang the doorbell. It was answered by Yin's nanny who bid them goodnight before leaving herself. Ruby placed Jaune on the couch in the living room.

"I feel parched…" Jaune stated as he made to get up, but Ruby held him down gently as she assured that she'd get him a glass of water. She walked into the hallway, feeling the eyes on the photos of Jaune and Yang watching her as she made her way to the kitchen.

Ruby found the cups in one of the cabinets and started filling it up with water. She turned around to be startled by Jaune standing right in front of her, dropping the glass to the floor in the process.

"Jaune, don't startle me like that!" Ruby complained as she made to pick up the shattered glass; but was stopped by the look in Jaune's eyes, it was drunken, but… a spark was in it as well. That and the close proximity made Ruby feel uncomfortable. She felt her chest tighten as he walked closer, she backed up instinctually until she felt her collide with the kitchen sink, and still Jaune moved closer.

Jaune reached out with one hand and brushed aside a strand of red highlighted dark hair out of her eyes. A shiver went up and down her spine at the contact.

"You're so beautiful…" Jaune whispered quietly, breathing it more than saying it.

Ruby felt her cheeks redden, but she knew that this wasn't Jaune talking, not sober Jaune anyway, "Jaune, you're drunk,"

In response Jaune simply placed his hand on her cheek and ran his thumb across her lower lip. He then leaned forward, Ruby soon mirrored the gesture, forgetting that he was drunk, forgetting their silent promise not to do this, forgetting that Yang had stolen him from her. Right now, she couldn't care less about those things, she wanted this.

"_Yang…"_ it was so quiet Ruby first thought she'd imagine it, but she quickly stopped and pulled away from Jaune in panicked shock.

"Daddy… I heard a noise…" A small voice caused the two adults to turn around and see four year old Yin in her pajamas with a Beowulf stuffed animal in her arms and her fist rubbing her tired eyes. Jaune seemed to sober up at the sight of his daughter and walked over to pick her up in her arms.

"It's okay Sweetheart," Jaune cooed, "Daddy was just being clumsy, say nighty night to aunty Ruby, okay?"

"Nighty night," Yin said tiredly as she rested her head on her daddy's shoulder. Jaune then carried Yin to her room, leaving Ruby alone with her thoughts.

'_Even in death, Yang still matters to him more than me,'_ Ruby thought in misery as Jaune returned; nervously rubbing the back of his head as he said it would be best if she left.

"What about the glass?" Ruby asked, gesturing to the shards on the floor.

"I'll clean it up, goodnight," Jaune insisted as he gestured to the door, ruby followed and left the house, once Jaune closed the door, Ruby fell to her knees as she missed her opportunity.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

**Reminiscences**

_Present Day…_

He was the stupidest man in the world.

Or at least that was what Jaune felt as he cleaned up the glass, he threw it out in the trashcan and proceeded to the master bedroom. He then sat down and rummaged through the nightstand drawer to pull out some old photos. The first one was a picture of Teams RWBY and JNPR on the day the teams were formed. It was a comical photo, with Ruby in midair as she had literally jumped for joy, Yang had her fingers making a set of bunny ears behind Weiss' head who was unknowing of the prank, and Nora has clinging piggy back on Ren. But the part he focused on was Pyrrha with her hand on his shoulder.

He shifted to the next photo, it was during the Vytal festival dance; it showed him and Pyrrha dancing, the two in the middle of the only kiss they ever shared. This brought up bad memories of the day after.

V

_Beacon Year one…_

Jaune kicked the training robot so hard that it was sent flying into the opposite wall and shattered into pieces. His hands where still in casts and bandages after he had vented his frustration on the wall and broke his fingers. The nurse said that his aura would heal them in a few weeks, but he didn't want to wait that long before getting back to training.

And train he did.

He spent hours upon hours training, he'd even skip classes just to tear at the training bots or run laps on the school's running track. He couldn't fight with his hands so he used his feet and legs. At first it was hard, often not kicking high enough or tripping on his own feet while trying to balance out a kick. But after a week of rigorous practice he started to get the hang of it.

"Weak," Jaune grumbled as he looked at the destroyed bot. He was calling both the bot and himself weak. For while the robot did present a challenge for him, it was still a machine, it didn't have the last second decisions and adaptability that a live person could provide for him to improve his skills. He needed a sparring partner.

"_Partner,"_ That word brought grief to Jaune, reminding him of who he lost, who he couldn't protect from being gored by that Boarbatusk.

Jaune shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts. He needed to be stronger. He needed someone to improve his skills. He thought about those that could help him spar, Ren and Nora were the first to come to mind, but he figured that they might go easy on him due to their pity of him. So he thought of possibly someone form Team RWBY.

Weiss came to thought, she was one of the best duelists in Beacon, but he figured she'd put him down as much as fight him if she agreed, if she'd even agreed. Blake was a possibility, but she seemed quite preoccupied these days. That left Ruby and Yang.

Both of the sisters where exceptional fighters, heck, Ruby was moved ahead two years due to her skills. He immediately thought she'd be the best option. But then thought against it as she would likely go easy on him too out of pity.

At that moment, the doors to the arena opened up to show Yang walking in. she hadn't noticed Jaune at the far end of the room, and proceeded to get ready for her daily exercise routine.

"Yang," Jaune called out, the blonde girl turned her gaze and saw Jaune, her eyes shifting to sad and pity.

"Hey Jaune," Yang called as he sat down by a lifting bench and started exercising.

"Can you spar with me?" Jaune asked.

Yang simply looked at him like he'd gone crazy, "Jaune, I'd destroy you without trying, no offense"

"_Is that what she thought, that I'm weak and pathetic,"_ Jaune thought bitterly. Well he was going to prove her wrong.

"Just one match, if I survive more than one hit, we spar all day" Jaune said darkly. Yang stopped her weightlifting to look Jaune in the eye.

"I'm not saying no because I think you're weak Jaune, I just don't think your head is in the right place," Yang said seriously, yet calmly, "plus your hands-

"I've been training my legs all week, I need someone to spar with, so spar with me," Jaune pointed out.

"Wouldn't you rather train with Ruby?" Yang said, Jaune looked in her eyes and seeing something he couldn't quite figure out. Hope? Pleading?

"No, she'd go easy on me out of pity, I don't want easy, or pity, I want tough, and you're tough," Jaune said in a determined voice. Yang stood up and looked Jaune in the eye, seemingly searching for something in them, she then nodded.

"Fine, if you can get one hit on me before I get three, we'll spar," Yang said.

"Fine- argh" Jaune doubled over as Yang punched him in the stomach.

"Role number one: always expect an attack," Yang said tauntingly as she turned her back on Jaune, "Oh and you got two chances left,"

Jaune charged her before she could turn her back, but the next thing he knew he was on his own back with Yang stepping on his chest, "One chance left,"

Jaune bent his legs and propelled himself up, throwing Yang off balance before he hooked his foot behind her own and toppling her over.

"Looks like we spar," Jaune said confidently.


	8. Chapter 8

**This is actually the first time I made myself tear up a little at what I've written. Gah… I must be getting soft. :O**

**Chapter 8:**

**The Healing that caused Decay**

_Jaune, Beacon Year one…_

Jaune threw himself on his bed. He was covered in bruises and beads of sweat as he tried to regain control of his breathing. He had been training with Yang for weeks now and he was getting better. But Yang wasn't one to make it easy for him, always trying to push his limits every step of the way and it seemed to have paid off. He was getting better in combat class, and physical education was becoming a breeze for him.

'_bzzz… bzzz…'_ Jaune's scroll started buzzing, he reached into his sweater pocket and produced the multipurpose device before answering the call can raising it to his ear, "Hello?"

"Jaune, it's me, Dr. Cran," The feminine voice answered from the scroll, "We forgot to schedule our next appointment,"

"Oh, sorry, how's next week sound?" Jaune offered to the Doctor.

"Let me see," a pause came over the conversation for a few seconds before Dr. Cran returned, "I'm open on Wednesday at 4:30PM, think you can make it?"

"I'll try," Jaune replied just as he heard a knock on the door, he stood up and opened it to see Ruby standing in the hall, Jaune silently ushered her in before returning to the call, "see you then Doc?"

"See you then," The response was followed with a sound that said she had hung up. Jaune then turned to Ruby.

"What was the call about?" Ruby asked nervously.

"That was my therapist on the line," Jaune explained, "We forgot to schedule an appointment last session,"

"I didn't know you were seeing a therapist," Ruby questioned curiously.

"Ah… Yea, Ozpin recommended the help after… you know… the incident…" Jaune said nervously, he then started shaking a bit, so he tried to change the subject, "This can't be why you visited,"

"I just wanted to check up on you, see how you're feeling," Ruby said shyly, Jaune had the feeling there was something she wanted to say but couldn't.

"Ruby, is there something you want to tell me?" Jaune asked, and Ruby seemed to get extra nervous at that.

"Um… ah… how's your training with Yang going?" Ruby asked nervously.

"Fine… your sister is actually quite the teacher," Jaune said, "who'd have thought, uh?"

"Yea… Who'd have thought," Ruby seemed disheartened as she said those words, "look, I should actually get back to my team, so… talk to you later?"

"Sure thing Ruby" Jaune said as he escorted Ruby out of the dorm.

V

_Ruby, Present day…_

How Ruby made it back to her Apartment, she'll never know, all she cared about was her own misery. Her throat tightened and her eyes and cheeks turned wet with tears. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"_Yang…"_ How can one name cause so much pain? One drunkenly breathed name that hurt more than a thousand Nevermore feather-spear.

"Why, am I not good enough, why can't he give me a chance," she muttered to herself. She found no answer as she drifted off to sleep.

'_Bang! Bang! Bang!'_ Ruby was awoken the next morning to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She got out of bed and straighten up her clothing before answering the door. She opened it to find Jaune standing in the hallway, looking hung over and quite guilty, "Ruby… I need to apologize,"

"…" Ruby felt too tired and exhausted to answer, so she just gave him a half lidded stare.

"I… made some unwanted advances towards you last night, I just want you to know that I didn't mean them… and-

"That you love my sister more than me," Ruby interrupted, her voice filled with ire.

"No, I-I mean… I don't… I-I-I, ah…" Jaune tried to stutter out an explanation, but Ruby held up her hand to silence him.

"No I get it Jaune," Ruby said coldly, "I wasn't fast enough to tell you how I felt and Pyrrha got to go to the dance with you! I wasn't supportive enough when she died and Yang was there to help you get through the loss! So of course I wasn't even a consideration when you finally got over Pyrrha and asked Yang out! I admit it, I was never brave enough, not with the dance, not with helping you heal, not with telling you my true feelings, even after five years of watching you and Yang get closer or two years of silently waiting, hoping, praying that you'd open up and allow me to be with you after Yang's death! And then you come to me, drunk as you were about to kiss me, only to whisper my sister's name in my face!"

Ruby turned her back on Jaune to steel her nerves before turning back to face him, "So here it is, what I've wanted to say for eight years, what I really feel!"

Ruby grabbed Jaune by the back of the neck with both hands and brought her lips to his; pouring eight years of pent up frustration, sadness, and heartache into the kiss. She soon felt him reach around her and placed his hands on the back of her head and the small of her back to deepen the kiss. Soon they separated and looked into each other's eyes. Ruby saw only guilt in those blue orbs.

"I-I can't Ruby," Jaune said sadly.

"Yes, you can Jaune," Ruby reassured, "I love you, and I know you do too, you just have to let go,"

"No Ruby, I can't, I just can't…" Jaune insisted as he made to leave, but Ruby grabbed his hand with both of hers.

"Please Jaune, at least promise me you'll think it over," Ruby pleaded desperately, afraid to let go of his him.

"I'm not sure if I can even promise that," Jaune said miserably as he pulled his hand free and left Ruby alone.

**Author's note:**

**You have no idea how close I got to having Jaune stay with Ruby, but I'm not that making things that easy for the two, and we still have a lot of Beacon segments to cover.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the long wait, I lost interest in this story a while ago, but I've regained enough of it to type this up. It's a little different because it has no present day setting, but that's because I have more beacon parts to write up then I do present day parts.**

**Chapter 9:**

**Closer Together yet Further Apart**

_Jaune, Beacon Year one…_

It was near the end of the school year. Jaune had improved immensely ever since he started training with Yang, and though his psyche was still traumatized from losing Pyrrha. He had been gaining some confidence.

Not that fake confidence he used to show whenever he was flirting with someone for the first semester -namely Weiss- but a different kind of confidence, the confidence of being a huntsman. He was able to take Grimm head on without as much fear and apprehension as before. He could also lead his team with more strategic ability then before, and his team's performance increased as a result. And while he still had lapses into traumatized misery, he was better at controlling it.

But right now, none of this was going through Jaune's head, because going through his head right now was the shockwave of Yang's fist connecting with his face.

"Haha! I win!" Yang's voice was heard over the ringing in Jaune's ears. As his vision returned he saw his training partner raise a fist in the air. Jaune quickly righted himself and charged right at the fiery blonde while she was distracted. He delivered a shift punch in the gut that knocked her off balance, her hands flailing about to grab whatever they could to prevent falling.

Unfortunately for Jaune, those hands found his arm.

The two blondes went crashing down onto the hard gym floor in a mess. Jaune got dazed as he saw only yellow. He shook his head to remove the dizziness to find himself atop Yang.

The two looked each other in the eye, deep blue against lilac as their minds slowly processed the position they were in. Soon it was Jaune that regained some semblance of sanity as he pushed himself off of Yang and righted himself. He offered his hand to her, which she took apprehensively. With the two of them standing, Yang was the first to try to speak.

"Uh…" she said as she scratched the back of her head nervously, "That… didn't mean anything right?"

"Yea, just an accident…" Jaune stumbled out his words.

"Yep… well… good practice, the training… that is…" Yang said nervously.

"Yea…"

"Yep…"

"YANG?!" a childish cry was heard, and the blondes turned to see Ruby enter the gymnasium.

"Hey Rubes, how was the exam?" Yang said cheerily, her previous nervousness seemingly gone.

"It when well, I think, hopefully well enough that Weiss won't kill me," Ruby said hopefully, she then noticed who else was in the room, "oh, hi Jaune, how's… training,"

"Oh… um… ah… it… um… went good… I think…" Jaune stammered out, and noticed Ruby's eyes narrow for just a second before turning back to its innocent expression.

"Yang, can I talk to you, I have a questioned about the exam for physical health tomorrow," Ruby asked her older sister.

"Sure thing," Yang said hastily, as though she wanted to get out of the gym as quickly as possible.

Once the two sisters left, Jaune left out a frustrated groan as he tried to figure out what happened between him and Yang. The look in her eyes burned into his mind. There was a look in them he hadn't seen since… Pyrrha, but also what looked like guilt.

Shaking his head to try and get the thoughts out of his head, Jaune made his way back to his dorm.


	10. Chapter 10

**I dedicate this story, and all off my RWBY fics, past, present, and future, to the brilliant man who gave us the world we've been waiting for all our lives without even knowing it.**

**We miss you Monty, the world's creative glow is darker without your light, but we will carry the torch regardless.**

**Chapter 10:**

**What the Soul Needs**

_Ruby, Beacon Year two…_

To say Ruby was ecstatic to be returning to Beacon Academy after summer break was an understatement. This was evident by her bouncy and cheerful demeanor while they rode the dust plane towards the legendary huntsmen school.

"I can't wait to reunite with Weiss and Blake!" Ruby practically squealed to Yang, who was sitting beside her as she chatted amicably about all the reunion celebration plans she had prepared.

"It will be good to see the old gang again," Yang agreed, "Weiss, Blake…

"Ren, Nora…" Ruby added.

"Neptune and Sun," Yang added as well.

"…Jaune…" Ruby said in a whisper, she felt an arm going around her shoulders as Yang gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry Rubes, I'm sure Jaune has recovered, It's been half a year," Yang assured, "He's bound to be feeling better by now,"

"I know it's just that…" Ruby started in a quiet voice.

"Look, I know you still care about him deeply, we all do," Ruby gave a suspicious look, "You know what I mean,"

"I know, it's just… what have I done lately for him, he was in a tough spot and I just hung in the background, not doing anything to help him, I feel as though we drifted apart," Ruby said in a deflated tone, she felt another Squeeze around her shoulders from her sister.

"Don't worry about the past, just be there for him in the present, just be a friend, and who knows, something might blossom from it," Yang reassured Ruby with a warm smile.

At that moment, the dust plane landed at the Beacon cliff and the students departed unto the platform. Ruby's eyes lit up at the sight of Weiss and Blake chatting just off to the side.

"Weiss! Blake!" Ruby shouted as she tackled her teammates to the ground, crushing them in a big hug.

"Ouch…" Blake said dazedly.

"GET OFF OF ME YOU DOLT!" Weiss managed to scold through partially crushed lungs.

"Why would I let go, I missed you guys?!" Ruby squealed in delight.

"Maybe because we can't breathe," Blake said in a calm yet strained voice, this caused Ruby to finally let go.

"I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW YOU WHAT I HAVE IN STORE FOR OUR REUNION PARTY!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Please don't say it," Weiss warned quietly, knowing full well what Ruby was going to suggest.

"We'll go shopping for weapon augments," Ruby announced.

"She said it," Weiss said miserably.

"Start a massive food fight with Teams JNPR and SSSN,"

"Predictable," Blake said nonchalantly.

"And…" Ruby started to say, but was distracted by the sight of Jaune walking off a different dust plane, "Hey! Jaune,"

Jaune turned his attention to Team RWBY and waved at them as he walked over, "Hey, what's happening?"

"Ruby's going over her plans for a 'reunion party'" Weiss said as she pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation.

"Cool, mind if me and my team join in on the fun," Jaune asked.

"Oh… a sure," Ruby agreed, "it wouldn't be the same without you,"

"Good," Jaune stated as he headed off, "Anyway, I got to find Nora and Ren, so see you around, Ruby, Weiss Blake… Yang,"

Ruby noticed how Jaune addressed Yang nervously, but shrugged it off as she watched Jaune walk off, had she been looking at Yang, she'd noticed the nervous blush.

V

_Jaune, present day…_

"And what happened after she kissed you?" Dr. Cran asked as Jaune relayed what had happened over the past two days.

Jaune released a heavy sigh before saying, "Then I left, telling her that I can't be with her,"

"And why is that Jaune?" Dr. Cran asked.

"Because I don't feel the same way as she does," Jaune admitted truthfully, or at least what he felt was the truth.

"I don't think that's true Jaune," Dr. Cran stated as she wrote something in her clipboard, "You tried to kiss her the previous night while you were drunk, a drunk man's actions are often a sober man's thoughts. So tell me the real reason you left her,"

"Because I don't think it will work out," Jaune said after some thinking.

"And why is that?" Cran pressed further.

"I don't know, just… because," Jaune said nervously.

"Is it because you're afraid of losing her like you did Pyrrha and Yang?" Dr. Cran questioned.

"No… er, a… yes, no, I-I mean…" Jaune released another heavy sigh, "Look I don't to experience that loss again, I don't want to be given happiness only for more pain to come,"

"So to avoid the pain of loss, you're denying yourself happiness," Cran clarified, "Jaune, that's causing you pain anyway, the soul wants to bond with others, dare I say it needs to bond in order to remain healthy,"

"But what if she leaves, or we find out we're not good for each other or, or if she dies,"

"Jaune, everyone dies, it's part of nature, but if you linger on death, you'll never get to live," Cran explained, "What's important is the experiences we had with those who are gone, and honoring them, not grieving on the loss, but be thankful that they were in our lives,"

"So what do you expect I do?" Jaune asked.

"That's for you to decide,"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

**Why? The Most Difficult Question**

_Ruby, present day…_

The deafening sound of Crescent Rose being fired down the firing range was all that could be heard as Ruby vented her frustration. Her mind happily going blank as she focused on hitting the bull's eye. The sound of her precious weapon's immense stopping power being music to her ears. The kickback felt joyously numbing to her shoulder with each pull of the trigger. The steady breathing required to aim a good shot was therapeutic in controlling her conflicted emotions.

Until she ran out of ammo.

"Grrr…" Ruby growled as she found no more spare magazines. Then all the thoughts she was trying to wash out came back in a torrential flood.

She had bared her feelings to him, told him how she felt, how she waited, and how she struggled. Yet he shoved them all aside like they meant nothing.

"_-at least promise me you'll think it over,"_

"_I'm not even sure I can promise you that,"_ What did that even mean? That he might not even consider what she had said? That for all she knew, he would forget about the whole thing the moment he closed that door to her apartment? It disgusted her to think that all her heartfelt admission could well have been for naught.

Ruby laid her back against the nearby wall before sliding down into a sitting position as she muttered, "Why do I even love him?" It was a question one rarely had the answer to, to explain your love for someone. Ruby had spent so much time of the being in love with him that she never thought about the why.

The more she thought about it. The blanker her mind became. Drawing up no answers; or ones that were relevant to who Jaune was now anyway. He was kind, caring, admittedly dorky, much like her in that regard. But the man she'd been trying to reconnect with for the past few years was not the loveable goofball she met back at Beacon Academy. This was a man who had lost everything around him, and lost his identity along the way. He no longer enjoyed life, or strived to achieve what was seemingly impossible. He simply… existed, no purpose, no goal, the light in his eyes had long since been extinguished.

Ruby knew it was because of Yang's death that Jaune had turned out this way. But it had been two years since then. Ruby figured that if he wasn't going to heal now, then he might never heal. Realizing she had been in love with someone who had long since died. She rose up from the ground with the weight of her dead love lifted from her crushed heart, giving it room to breathe for the first time in eight years.


End file.
